A dirty golf ball will not travel as far or as straight as a clean golf ball. Accordingly, golf courses often provide equipment for washing golf balls at the clubhouse and other locations around the course, usually at or near the tee box. These ball washers are stationary, generally supported on a post. Golf balls, however, often become soiled in areas of the course away from such stationary devices, and it would be desirable to provide a golf ball washer which is portable and could be carried by a golfer. It would also be desirable to have a golf ball washer which could be attached to a golf bag or a golf cart to make it easier to carry.
Previous portable golf ball washers included mechanisms for advancing and retracting the ball. Typically, they required a holding mechanism for engaging the ball, such as a bail-like wire. However, a golf ball can be difficult to insert into and remove from the holding mechanism, and the wires can deform over time until they can no longer maintain a strong grip on the ball. Also, these devices are often formed of parts and/or assemblies which do not lend themselves to easy fabrication.
Furthermore, after several cleaning sessions, the golf ball washer itself may become soiled and require cleaning as well. Dirt typically settles to the bottom of the washer and/or becomes entrained within the scrubbing bristles of the washer which makes cleaning difficult. Previous golf ball washers typically only opened at the top or merely provided a small drain to facilitate removal of dirty cleaning fluid. These drains may be clogged, however, and do not facilitate removal of the dirt that is not carried away by the fluid. Top opening ball washers also inhibit cleaning the bottom of the ball washer, where the dirt often settles and make repairing inner elements of the ball washer difficult. Therefore, providing a golf ball washer which is not only portable but also easy to clean and repair would also be desirable.